The wiles of Destiny are a hundred times as many (as thine): he (the Prophet) has said, ‘When Destiny comes, the wide field is straitened.’
هست صد چندین فسونهای قضا ** گفت اذا جاء القضا ضاق الفضا
There are a hundred ways and places of refuge on left and right, (but) they are barred by Destiny, for it is a dragon.”
صد ره و مخلص بود از چپ و راست ** از قضا بسته شود کو اژدهاست
How the lover answered those who scolded and threatened him.
جواب گفتن عاشق عاذلان را وتهدید کنندگان را
He said, “I am dropsical: the water draws me, though I know that the water too will kill me.
گفت من مستسقیم آبم کشد ** گرچه می‌دانم که هم آبم کشد
None afflicted with dropsy will flee from the water, even if it checkmate and ruin him two hundred times.3885
هیچ مستقسقی بنگریزد ز آب ** گر دو صد بارش کند مات و خراب
If my hands and belly become swollen, (yet) the passionate desire for the water will not abate (and depart) from me.
گر بیاماسد مرا دست و شکم ** عشق آب از من نخواهد گشت کم
At the time when they ask me of my inward state, I say, ‘Would that the Sea were flowing within me!’
گویم آنگه که بپرسند از بطون ** کاشکی بحرم روان بودی درون
Let the water-skin, my belly, be burst by the waves of the water: if I die, my death is acceptable.
خیک اشکم گو بدر از موج آب ** گر بمیرم هست مرگم مستطاب
Wherever I see the water of a stream, jealousy comes over me (and I wish) that I might be in its place.
من بهر جایی که بینم آب جو ** رشکم آید بودمی من جای او
(With) hands (swollen) like a tambourine and belly like a drum, I am beating the drum of (I am proclaiming) my love for the water, as the rose (does).3890
دست چون دف و شکم همچون دهل ** طبل عشق آب می‌کوبم چو گل
If that Trusty Spirit spill my blood, I will drink draught on draught of blood, like the earth.
گر بریزد خونم آن روح الامین ** جرعه جرعه خون خورم همچون زمین
I am a blood-drinker, like the earth and like the embryo: (ever) since I became a lover I am (engaged) in this trade.
چون زمین وچون جنین خون‌خواره‌ام ** تا که عاشق گشته‌ام این کاره‌ام
During the night I boil on the fire, like a kettle; (all) day till nightfall I drink blood, like the sand.
شب همی‌جوشم در آتش همچو دیگ ** روز تا شب خون خورم مانند ریگ
I repent that I set contrivance afoot (in order to escape) and fled from that which his anger desired.
من پشیمانم که مکر انگیختم ** از مراد خشم او بگریختم
Let him drive on (let him not restrain) his anger against my intoxicated soul: he is the Feast of the Sacrifice, and the lover is the buffalo (for slaughter).3895
گو بران بر جان مستم خشم خویش ** عید قربان اوست و عاشق گاومیش
Whether the buffalo sleep or whether it eat something, he nurtures (fattens) it for the Feast and the slaughter.
گاو اگر خسپد وگر چیزی خورد ** بهر عید و ذبح او می‌پرورد
Deem me to be (as) the cow of Moses that gave life (to the murdered man): each limb of me is the (means of) raising from the dead every one that is (spiritually) free.
گاو موسی دان مرا جان داده‌ای ** جزو جزوم حشر هر آزاده‌ای
The cow of Moses was one offered in sacrifice: her smallest limb brought a murdered man to life.
گاو موسی بود قربان گشته‌ای ** کمترین جزوش حیات کشته‌ای
At its touch the murdered man sprang up from his place—at the words spoken (by God), Strike him with part of her.
برجهید آن کشته ز آسیبش ز جا ** در خطاب اضربوه بعضها
O my noble (friends), slaughter this cow (the fleshly soul), if ye desire to raise to life the spirits (possessed) of insight.3900
یا کرامی اذبحوا هذا البقر ** ان اردتم حشر ارواح النظر
I died to the inorganic state and became endowed with growth, and (then) I died to (vegetable) growth and attained to the animal.
از جمادی مردم و نامی شدم ** وز نما مردم به حیوان برزدم
I died from animality and became Adam (man): why, then, should I fear? When have I become less by dying?
مردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم ** پس چه ترسم کی ز مردن کم شدم
At the next remove I shall die to man, that I may soar and lift up my head amongst the angels;
حمله‌ی دیگر بمیرم از بشر ** تا بر آرم از ملایک پر و سر
And I must escape even from (the state of) the angel:everything is perishing except His Face.
وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
Once more I shall be sacrificed and die to the angel: I shall become that which enters not into the imagination.3905
بار دیگر از ملک قربان شوم ** آنچ اندر وهم ناید آن شوم
Then I shall become non-existence: non-existence saith to me, (in tones loud) as an organ, Verily, unto Him shall we return.
پس عدم گردم عدم چون ارغنون ** گویدم که انا الیه راجعون
Know death to be (the thing signified by) what the (Mohammedan) community are agreed upon, namely, that the Water of Life is hidden in the (Land of) Darkness.
مرگ دان آنک اتفاق امتست ** کاب حیوانی نهان در ظلمتست
Grow from this river-bank, like the water-lily, greedy and craving for death as the sufferer from dropsy.
همچو نیلوفر برو زین طرف جو ** همچو مستسقی حریص و مرگ‌جو
The water is death to him, and (yet) he is seeking the water and drinking it— and God best knoweth the right course.
مرگ او آبست و او جویای آب ** می‌خورد والله اعلم بالصواب
Oh, the cold lover, clad in the felt (garment) of shame, who from fear of (losing) his life is fleeing from the Beloved!3910
ای فسرده عاشق ننگین نمد ** کو ز بیم جان ز جانان می‌رمد
O thou disgrace (even) to women, behold hundreds of thousands of souls clapping their hands (and rushing) towards the sword of His love!
سوی تیغ عشقش ای ننگ زنان ** صد هزاران جان نگر دستک‌زنان
Thou hast seen the river: spill thy jug in the river: how should the water take flight from the river?
جوی دیدی کوزه اندر جوی ریز ** آب را از جوی کی باشد گریز
When the water in the jug goes into the river-water, it disappears in it, and it becomes the river.
آب کوزه چون در آب جو شود ** محو گردد در وی و جو او شود
His (the lover's) attributes have passed away, and his essence remains: after this, he does not dwindle or become ill-favoured.
وصف او فانی شد و ذاتش بقا ** زین سپس نه کم شود نه بدلقا
I have hanged myself on His palm-tree in excuse for having fled from Him.”3915
خویش را بر نخل او آویختم ** عذر آن را که ازو بگریختم
How that lover reached his Beloved when he washed his hands of (gave up) his life.
رسیدن آن عاشق به معشوق خویش چون دست از جان خود بشست
Prostrating himself on face and head, like a ball, he went with wet eyes towards the Sadr (Prince).
همچو گویی سجده کن بر رو و سر ** جانب آن صدر شد با چشم تر
All the people were waiting, their heads in the air, (to see) whether he would burn or hang him.
جمله خلقان منتظر سر در هوا ** کش بسوزد یا برآویزد ورا
“Now” (they said) “he will show to this simpleton that which Time (Fortune) shows to the unfortunate.
این زمان این احمق یک لخت را ** آن نماید که زمان بدبخت را
Like the moth, he (the lover) deemed the (fiery) sparks to be the light: foolishly he fell in and was cut off from (deprived of) life.”
همچو پروانه شرر را نور دید ** احمقانه در فتاد از جان برید
But the candle of Love is not like that (external) candle: it is radiance in radiance in radiance.3920
لیک شمع عشق چون آن شمع نیست ** روشن اندر روشن اندر روشنیست
It is the reverse of the fiery candles: it seems to be fire, while (in reality) it is all sweetness.
او به عکس شمعهای آتشیست ** می‌نماید آتش و جمله خوشیست
Description of the lover-killing mosque and of the death-seeking reckless lover who became a guest there.
صفت آن مسجد کی عاشق‌کش بود و آن عاشق مرگ‌جوی لا ابالی کی درو مهمان شد
Lend ear to a story, O well-conducted man! There was a mosque on the outskirts of the city of Rayy.
یک حکایت گوش کن ای نیک‌پی ** مسجدی بد بر کنار شهر ری
No one ever slept the night there but on the same night (he died) from terror (and) his children became orphans.
هیچ کس در وی نخفتی شب ز بیم ** که نه فرزندش شدی آن شب یتیم
Many the naked (destitute) stranger that went into it (at nightfall) and went at dawn, like the stars, into the grave.
بس که اندر وی غریب عور رفت ** صبحدم چون اختران در گور رفت
Make thyself very attentive to this (tale)! The dawn is come, cut short thy slumber!3925
خویشتن را نیک ازین آگاه کن ** صبح آمد خواب را کوتاه کن
Every one used to say that in it there were fierce Jinnís who killed the guests with blunt swords.
هر کسی گفتی که پریانند تند ** اندرو مهمان کشان با تیغ کند
Another would say, “It is the magic and talisman, for this enchantment is the foe and enemy of life.”
آن دگر گفتی که سحرست و طلسم ** کین رصد باشد عدو جان و خصم
Another would say, “Put an inscription (notice) conspicuously on its door—‘O guest, do not stay here.
آن دگر گفتی که بر نه نقش فاش ** بر درش کای میهمان اینجا مباش
Do not sleep the night here, if you want to live; otherwise, death will unmask an ambush for you in this place.’”
شب مخسپ اینجا اگر جان بایدت ** ورنه مرگ اینجا کمین بگشایدت
And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.”3930
وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید
How the guest came into the mosque.
مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
(So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.
تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب